Ricoh Company, Ltd.

Kazuhiko Tsukamoto

Tsuyoshi Hashiguchi

Atsushi Sakai

Shuichi Suzuki

Koichiro Nakamura

Jun Nakagawa

Tomofumi Kitazawa

An optical deflection apparatus, an image projector, an optical writing unit, and an object recognition device. The optical deflection apparatus includes a mirror unit having a reflection plane, a plurality of actuators to move the mirror unit around a prescribed axis, a drive controller to control operation of the plurality of actuators, and an abnormality detector to detect an abnormality in at least one of the plurality of actuators. When the abnormality detector detects an abnormality in at least one of the plurality of actuators, the drive controller controls another one of the plurality of actuators to deflect a light flux incident on the mirror unit. The image projector includes the optical deflection apparatus, and a light source unit to emit a laser beam. The optical deflection apparatus projects an image formed by optically scanning the laser beam emitted from the light source unit.

Optical deflection apparatus, image projector, optical writing unit, and object recognition device

An actuator device includes a frame, a movable member to rotate about a rotation axis, a reflection member formed on the movable member to reflect a light flux that enters the reflection member, a first deformable member disposed on the frame to support and move the movable member, at least one first driver to deform the first deformable member, a detection-use line formed on the first deformable member and on the movable member to allow an electric current, and a light shield unit disposed at least one of a light incident side and a light exit side of the reflection member. The light shield unit blocks at least one of an entry of the light flux to the reflection member and an exit of the light flux from the reflection member when the detection-use line is damaged.

Actuator device, optical deflector, an image projection apparatus, and image forming apparatus

A multibeam deflector includes a plurality of optical deflection devices formed on a single substrate and an output optical system. Each of the optical deflection devices includes a slab optical waveguide formed by a material having an electro-optic effect. The output optical system is configured to separate beams output from the optical deflection devices from each other.

Multibeam deflector for separating beams output from optical deflection devices

An optical device includes a phase modulation element having an optical waveguide part and electrodes, the optical waveguide part being configured such that a laser light beam emitted by a laser light source is inputted to the optical waveguide part and having an optical waveguide layer formed of an electro-optic material, the electrodes being provided on respective sides of the optical waveguide part to apply a voltage to the optical waveguide layer, the phase modulation element being configured to modulate a phase of the laser light beam by using a refraction index modulation region formed in the optical waveguide layer when a voltage is applied to the optical waveguide layer through the electrodes, and a pump light source configured to irradiate at least the refraction index modulation region of the optical waveguide layer with a pump light beam.

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Kanagawa, Japan

Kazuhiko Tsukamoto